Daily Herald honors 8 for continued excellence

Eight Daily Herald employees received the company's Awards of Excellence earlier this month for their work in a variety of categories.

This is the 46th year the awards have been handed out to employees of Paddock Publications, the parent company of the Daily Herald. The awards touch on all facets of the newspaper's daily production, as well as its other ventures. One award is also given to an employee for commitment to community service. In that instance, the company donates to the employee's charitable endeavor.

"The excellence awards are one way we can recognize the outstanding achievements of our employees during the past year," said Paddock Publications President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Stone. "In some cases these awards are named for prominent members of the Paddock family, who were outstanding in their own right for their achievements and legacy to the company. Each year we get hundreds of nominations from our employees recognizing the work of their subordinates and peers. The nominations chronicle some truly outstanding work and activities by our employees. I am amazed each year to read through the nominations of these dedicated staff members."

This year's winners are:

• Community News Coordinator Luke Zurawski: Administrative Award of Excellence. "He is the glue and duct tape that holds a lot of what we do together," Vice President and Managing Editor Jim Baumann said.

• Account Executive Peggy Slattery: Margie Paddock Flanders Sales Award of Excellence. "Peggy has really helped raise the bar in the department," Vice President for Advertising Pete Rosengren said.

• Prep Sports Reporter Kevin Schmit: Editorial Excellence Award. Senior Vice President and Editor John Lampinen said Schmit reflects the prep sports staff's "talent, commitment, work ethic and intense engagement with our schools and with our communities."

• Assistant Managing Editor Neil Holdway: Stuart R. Paddock, Jr., Leadership Award of Excellence. "He is reliable and trustworthy, has terrific news judgment and can juggle all manner of crises at night after the department managers have gone home," Stone said.

• Production Manager for Town Square Publications Joe Nugara: Operations Award of Excellence. Vice President of Town Square Publications Scott Ray praised Nugara for his "problem-solving abilities and the respect that he has not only earned from staff, but from others throughout the company."

• Senior Copy Editor for Niche Publications Mike Burke: Above and Beyond Award of Excellence. "He never asks for glory and he sometimes seems embarrassed by our gratitude, but honestly we couldn't do it without him," said Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Innovation Eileen Brown.

• Bundle Catcher Rameshchandra Patel: Award of Excellence for Part-Time Employee. Director of Production Don Stamper lauded Patel for going "above and beyond all the time, helping out everywhere in every department."

• Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Innovation Eileen Brown: Robert Y. Paddock, Sr., Community Service Award for her work with the Veterans Boot Camp. Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Robert Y. Paddock, Jr. praised Brown for lending her leadership and management skills to the Des Plaines-based program aimed at helping veterans get into the workforce.